Exodus 5:18 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Exodus 5:18 kjv
Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.
Exodus 5:18 nkjv
Therefore go now and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks."
Exodus 5:18 niv
Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks."
Exodus 5:18 esv
Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks."
Exodus 5:18 nlt
Now get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you must still produce the full quota of bricks."
Exodus 5 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 1:11-14 | "Therefore they set taskmasters over them... and made their lives bitter..." | Intensified slavery & bitter toil. |
| Ex 2:23-25 | "The people of Israel groaned... and their cry... came up to God." | God hears and remembers their oppression. |
| Ex 3:7 | "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt..." | God's awareness of suffering. |
| Ex 3:19-20 | "But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled..." | Pharaoh's stubbornness & God's eventual power. |
| Ex 4:21 | "...I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go." | Divine hardening of Pharaoh's heart. |
| Ex 5:4 | "Then the king of Egypt said... ‘Why do you take the people from their work?" | Pharaoh's accusation of idleness. |
| Ex 5:9 | "Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor..." | Pharaoh's initial order for increased burden. |
| Ex 5:14 | "And the foremen... were beaten..." | Immediate consequence: foremen beaten. |
| Ex 5:15-16 | "The foremen cried out, 'Why do you treat your servants thus?'..." | The foremen's complaint to Pharaoh. |
| Ex 5:20-21 | "They met Moses and Aaron... 'The Lord look on you and judge...'" | Israelite foremen blame Moses and Aaron. |
| Ex 6:6 | "Say therefore to the people... I will rid you of their burdens..." | God's promise to deliver from burdens. |
| Dt 26:6 | "And the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us..." | Remembering the severity of Egyptian oppression. |
| Ps 105:25 | "He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants." | God allowed hardened hearts for His purpose. |
| Is 58:6 | "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke?" | Contrasts God's desire for liberation vs. oppression. |
| Jer 22:13 | "Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness... making his neighbor serve without wages." | Condemns exploitation and unjust labor practices. |
| Neh 5:5 | "And now we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves..." | Similar themes of internal oppression (Nehemiah). |
| Mt 11:28-30 | "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." | Contrast of burdens under law/Pharaoh vs. Christ's light yoke. |
| Acts 7:34 | "I have surely seen the affliction of my people... and have heard their groaning." | Stephen's retelling of God hearing their cries. |
| Gal 5:1 | "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore..." | Christ delivers from spiritual burdens/slavery. |
| Col 3:23-24 | "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men..." | How believers should approach labor, even in difficult conditions. |
| 1 Pet 4:12-13 | "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes..." | Facing suffering as part of God's refining plan. |
| Rom 8:28 | "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good." | God's overarching purpose in allowing trials. |
Exodus 5 verses
Exodus 5 18 meaning
Exodus 5:18 conveys Pharaoh's harsh and unjust decree to the Israelite people. After refusing Moses and Aaron's request for freedom to worship, Pharaoh accused the Israelites of idleness. This verse is his command to maintain their brick production quota ("the tale of bricks") while simultaneously withholding a critical material, straw. This act intensified their oppressive labor, making an already difficult task nearly impossible without increased effort or further suffering, serving to crush their spirit and deepen their servitude.
Exodus 5 18 Context
Exodus chapter 5 opens with Moses and Aaron, empowered by God, confronting Pharaoh and demanding Israel's release to worship the LORD in the wilderness. Pharaoh's immediate response (Ex 5:2) is a defiant "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?" Rather than releasing the Israelites, Pharaoh accuses them of idleness for entertaining thoughts of pilgrimage and instantly decrees an increase in their burden (Ex 5:6-9). He orders his taskmasters and foremen to stop providing straw for brick production while demanding the exact same daily quota of bricks. Verse 18 is Pharaoh's direct and specific instruction for implementing this new, harsher policy. It sets the stage for a period of intensified suffering for the Israelites, leading to their despair and questioning of Moses and Aaron's mission before God intervenes decisively.
Exodus 5 18 Word analysis
- Go (לְכוּ - lekhoo): A sharp, imperative command. It implies a forceful dismissal of Moses's plea and an immediate demand for the Israelites to resume their arduous work.
- therefore (אֵפוֹא - 'efo'ah): Connects to Pharaoh's previous accusation of idleness (Ex 5:4, 5:8). "Because you are idle, now go..." It presents his harsh command as a logical consequence of their alleged sloth.
- now (עַתָּה - 'attah): Emphasizes urgency and immediate execution of the decree. There is no room for negotiation or delay.
- work (וַעֲבֹדוּ - va'avodoo): From the root עבד ('avad), meaning to serve, work, or worship. This word holds deep irony. The Israelites were asking to serve (worship) the LORD, but Pharaoh reasserts their "service" (work) to him, demanding total submission and labor for his own glory.
- for (כִּי - ki): Introduces the reason or justification for the command, explaining the new, harsher condition of their labor.
- there shall no (לֹא - lo'): A strong negative particle, explicitly stating the absolute denial of provision.
- straw (תֶּבֶן - teven): A critical binding agent in ancient mudbrick production, preventing cracks and allowing the bricks to hold together. Its absence dramatically increased the difficulty, requiring more labor for mixing and shaping, or resulting in inferior, weaker bricks.
- be given you (יִנָּתֵן לָכֶם - yinnaten lakhem): Passive form of the verb "to give," emphasizing that the denial comes from the authority (Pharaoh and his administrators) who had previously supplied it. It highlights Pharaoh's deliberate act of withholding.
- yet / and (וְ - v'): A simple conjunction, but here implies a strong contrast: "and yet," "nevertheless." Despite the withholding of straw, the demand remains.
- you shall deliver (תִּתֵּן - titten): Lit. "you shall give." Here, it means to render, provide, or produce the specified amount. The responsibility for meeting the quota falls entirely upon the laborers.
- the tale of (תֹּכֶן - tokhen): A precise measure, a fixed quantity, or an exact count. It signifies an unyielding quantitative quota that must be met, reflecting an unmerciful, numerical demand irrespective of changed conditions.
- bricks (לְבֵנִים - l'venim): The finished product of their servitude. Symbolically, these bricks represent the material fruit of their bitter slavery and forced labor.
Exodus 5 18 Bonus section
- The phrase "make bricks without straw" originated from this very narrative, becoming a common idiom for undertaking a difficult or impossible task due to inadequate resources.
- Pharaoh's act highlights his self-proclaimed divinity and absolute authority: he believed he had the right to make such an unworkable demand without any moral or ethical consideration. This stood in direct opposition to the true God who provides for His people.
- The suffering caused by this decree forced the Israelites into deeper desperation, driving them back to God after initially blaming Moses (Ex 5:20-21). This period of intensified trials was a crucible that deepened their dependence on God, preparing them to truly recognize His mighty hand in their eventual deliverance.
Exodus 5 18 Commentary
Exodus 5:18 is a pivot point in the narrative of the exodus, intensifying the suffering of the Israelites and exposing the cruel depths of Pharaoh's opposition to God's will. Pharaoh's decree to remove the straw while demanding the same brick quota was not merely an economic decision but a calculated act of psychological and physical oppression. He aimed to crush their spirits, extinguishing any hope of freedom by burying them under an impossible workload. This act strategically created friction between the Israelite people and their newfound leaders, Moses and Aaron, causing the people to question if divine intervention was making things worse.
This verse exemplifies the harsh realities of tyrannical power: it seeks to dehumanize and exhaust its subjects, leaving no room for aspirations or spiritual pursuit. By making their work harder and more desperate, Pharaoh intended to reinforce his control and ensure no further requests for "pilgrimage" would arise. However, in God's sovereign plan, this very intensification of suffering served to sharpen the contrast between Pharaoh's cruelty and God's delivering power, setting the stage for even more miraculous displays of divine intervention. It prepared the Israelites to long truly and desperately for a salvation that only God could provide.